Craspedophorus chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915)

Häckel, Martin, 2017, A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 3. Revision of the Craspedophorus strachani and C. brevicollis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 4330 (1), pp. 1-67 : 6-7

1. Craspedophorus chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915)

( Plate 5 , Figs 34–36, Plate 13 , Fig. 101)

Eudema chevalieri Alluaud, 1915a: 154 (type locality “Fort-Crampel, sur le haut Chari, dans le Congo français [= Kaga Bandoro, Nana Grébizi Prefecture, Central African Republic]”). Craspedophorus chevalieri Burgeon 1930b: 158 . Craspedophorus chevalieri chevalieri Basilewsky 1987: 197 . Lorenz 2005: 320, Häckel and Farkač 2012: 80. Craspedophorus chevalieri jokoanus Basilewsky, 1987: 197 (type locality “ Kamerun: Joko [ Cameroon, Central]”). Lorenz 2005: 320, Häckel and Farkač 2012: 80, syn. nov.

Type material. Holotype (♂): “ Fort-Crampel / Congo français [printed on white label]// Chevalieri / Type. Alluaud / Alluaud determ. [handwritten]” ( Plate 5 , Fig. 34, MNHN).

1♂ (holotype of Craspedophorus chevalieri jokoanus Basilewsky, 1987 ): “Genit. ♂ / [printed on white label] / 87.056.1 [handwritten]// Holotypus [printed on red label]// Eudema / Chevalieri / var. Alluaud / Alluaud déterm. [handwritten in black on white label]// Musée du Congo / Kamerun: Joko // Don. Moser [printed on white label]// Cr. chevalieri / s. jokoanus n. [handwritten]/ P. Bailewsky det., 19 [printed on white label]// [DataMatrix] RMCA Ent. / 0 0 0 0 20046 [printed on white label]” ( Plate 5 , Fig. 36, MRAC).

Additional material examined. Cameroon: Central. 3♂, 3♀ labeled as paratypes of “ C. chevalieri jokoanus Basilewsky, 1987 ”: “Joko” ( MRAC) . Central Africa. 19♂, 16♀: “[Kémo prefecture] Fort-Sibut / Oubangi-Chari ”; ( Plate 5 , Fig. 35, MNHN, MRAC); 1♀: “ Ht-Kémo ( Dybowski )” ( MNHN); 1♂, 1♀: “ Fort Crampel ” ( MRAC); 1♂: “ Ombella-M'Poko Prov. 40 km n Bangui, 400 m ”; 1 Ƌ: “ Lobaye Prov. nr. Grima , 50 km ne Bambio, Ngoto Forest, 450 m ” ( Plate 13 , Fig. 101, cMH). Gabon. 1 Ƌ: “Ntoum” (cDM).

Note. This species is based on specimens labeled “Fort-Crampel, sur le haut Chari, dans le Congo français”. Description (in part, see Alluaud, 1915a: 153). “Length 22–25.5 mm [our measurements 18–26 mm]. Well distinguishable from the precedent species [ C. bouvieri crampeli Alluaud, 1915 ] by its acuminate body posteriad, by its pronotum, anteriorly quite similar to that in E. eximia [= C. reflexus (Fabricius, 1781) ], but posteriorly more perpendicular to small indentation near posterior angles, with disk less grossly punctured. Elytra with striae quite regularly punctured as in E. eximia [= C. reflexus ], but punctuation more gross near apical declivity; furthermore, intervals more convex, less densely and more grossly punctured. Yellow humeral fascia located very near elytral base, as well as in E. decorsei [= C. bouvieri bouvieri (Rousseau, 1905) ], reaching the same intervals and one spot on the IX interval; but fascia less equal, markedly wider, otherwise quite variable, generally with floating wideness outwards, spots on IX interval markedly longer. Yellow preapical macula is not present in this species; although among a lot of species I saw two specimens with a small yellow spot on VII interval, and in one specimen spot on V interval, and perceptible trail of spot on VII interval. Venter grossly and quite sparsely punctured. Metepisterna short. I dedicate this species to my friend, Mr. Auguste Chevalier, as a result of his explorations in West Africa” [from French]. Basilewsky (1987) described a new subcpecies based on seven specimens collected at Joko, Cameroon, recently located in Central Region. Description (in part, see Basilewsky 1987: 197). “...all specimens from Cameroon with body of smaller size (18–21 mm) than in C. chevalieri s. str. (22–25 mm), pronotum less transverse (length/width ratio 1.37–1.39) contrary to that in C. chevalieri s. str. (1.45–1.60), with lateral margins less sinuate posteriorly and less excavated in front of posterior angles, elytra less convex, and weakly narrower. But yellow humeral elytral macula differs at first sight from that in nominotypical subspecies, which in all specimens from Fort Sibut and Fort Crampel presents as a horizontal fascia, reaching from II to IX interval, anteriorly very regularly marginated, not serrate, in both specimens from Cameroon macula is markedly narrower, beginning often on III interval, hardly reaching to IX., with spots on II and III interval very short, and serrate towards anterior margin, spots on V., VII, and VIII intervals markedly prolonged anteriorly in comparison to the others, posterior margin less serrate in nominotypical subspecies, than in the new subspecies, where more serrate, and which I name ssp. jokoanus nova. In two of seven specimens from Cameroon I found one small spot, very little distinct, located in apical fourth, on intervals V and VI, never seen in specimens from Central African Republic. Aedeagi ( Plate 13 , Fig. 101) differ slightly....” [from French]. In MNHN I found a specimen which is more similar to the subspecies type from Cameroon ( Plate 5 , Fig. 35) than to the species type from Central African Republic (RCA, Plate 5 , Fig. 34). This specimen was collected near Sibut (Kémo Prefecture, RCA), not far and south from the type locality (“Fort-Crampel” =Kaga Bandoro, Nana-Grébizi Prefecture, RCA). When comparing types and other specimens from various places, both above-mentioned populations described as subspecies seem different only in the body size. Slight differences in the elytral colouration are also to be found among individuals of the same population. Colour and size or length differences can also occur anywhere, without any geographical context. Those are most probably alpine and lowland forms. Based on this fact, I synonymize Basilewsky’s subspecies C. ch. jokoanus to C. chevalieri .

Distribution. Central Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon.

Figures

PLATE 5. Habitus of Craspedophorus strachani group IV (Scale bar: 10 mm). 34. C. chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915) HT (male); 35. C. chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915), male, Central Africa, Kémo prefecture; 36. C. chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915) male, Cameroon (HT of C. chevalieri jokoanus Basilewsky, 1987); 37. C. cuneatus cuneatus (Alluaud, 1915), male, Cameroon: Centre; 38. C. cuneatus cuneatus (Alluaud, 1915), HT (female); 39. C. cuneatus rotundatus n. ssp., HT (male); 40. C. cuneatus rotundatus n. ssp., PT female, Central Africa, Bamingui-Bandoran; 41. C. cuneatus paromius Basilewsky, 1987, HT (male); 42. C. cuneatus paromius Basilewsky, 1987, PT male, DR Congo: Orientale; 43. C. cuneatus paromius Basilewsky, 1987, PT female, DR Congo: Orientale.

PLATE 13 Craspedophorus strachani group II, aedeagus in frontal and right lateral views: 101. C. chevalieri (Alluaud, 1915), Central Africa; 102. C. cuneatus cuneatus (Alluaud, 1915), Central Africa; 103. C. cuneatus paromius Basilewsky, 1987, Orientale, DR Congo; 104. C. cuneatus rotundatus new subspecies, HT; 105. C. glaber Bates, 1886, Cameroon, Southwestern; 106. C. ruficroides ruficroides new species, HT; 107. C. ruficroides thomsoni new subspecies, PT RCA; 108. C. phenax Basilewsky, 1987, PT Fontem, Cameroon, West; 109. C. congoanus Kolbe, 1889, Eala Bokatola-Bikoro, Équateur, DR Congo; 110. C. phenacoides new species, HT; 111. C. lemariei new species, HT.